Prep talk: Can Corona baseball stay unbeaten in North Carolina?
The Dodgers have lost. Will unbeaten Corona High be next?
The 14-0 Panthers are traveling to Cary, N.C., to begin competition on Wednesday at the National High School Invitational. Huntington Beach and La Mirada are joining them.
With 12 shutouts in 14 games and champions of the Boras Classic South, Corona gets to unleash its pitching depth once again. Coach Andy Wise plans to use the same rotation that won the Boras Classic, starting sophomore Mason Sims on the mound for their opener on Wednesday.
Huntington Beach (12-1) is in the opposite bracket of Corona. La Mirada (13-2) is in Corona's bracket and could face the Panthers for a third time this season. Corona continues to resemble a super team with pitchers Seth Hernandez and Ethin Bingaman, shortstop Billy Carlson and third baseman Brady Ebel and outfielder Anthony Murphy, who has hit six of the team's 26 home runs.
The championship game will be played on Saturday morning. . . .
Palm Desert's baseball team is 12-4 and showing off a formidable one-two pitching punch in 6-foot-7 junior Jake Brande (4-1, 1.54 ERA) and Zach Gibbs (5-0, 1.47). . . .
West Valley League softball begins this week with Granada Hills a clear favorite. . . .
The Champions Invitational in golf takes place Monday and Tuesday at Tahquitz Creek in Rancho Mirage as the postseason tournaments move closer.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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